Went into our local whole food shop today and found

Benevo complete Vegan Dog and cat Food - Benevo Duo |

Picked up a tin for the cats, retails around £1.70 for a 369g tin, thought give it a try though mine do eat meat, they have a home made with pre mix

I'm not sure whether pets do thrive on a vegetable protein diet, have seen a few and they do look pretty healthy, would love to hear some thoughts on the matter.

I think it is cruel and downright disgusting to feed carnivores on a purely vegetable diet.

How can a meatless diet for a obligate carnivore be healthy? They need meat. Some things in meat cannot be provided by neither veg nor synthetic substitutes.

No cat can thrive on this. We should not put our own ideals (ie vegetarianism) onto animals.

__________________

Without wanting to sound rude - I respect your own ideals but wouldn't force it on another.
You couldn't force it on a human because they can choose for themselves, your pet cannot.. but if it had the ability, it would pick meat every time. That's just how their bodies have evolved. They get so much more nutrition from meat than veg proteins.

You could try feeding raw using freedom-food endorsed products.

I agree with what has been said so far

For natural carnivores such as cats and dogs (even more so for cats, as they are obligate carnivores) to be fed food with no meat or meat products in, is very dangerous. Our pets depend on us owners to feed them the best species-appropriate food we can to keep them healthy.

Like gloworm*mushroom said, there are things a cat needs that just can't be found in veg or in synthetic substitutes. Cats are beautifully designed to eat meat, organs and bone, and I personally fail to see how a (vegan or vegitarian) food would be beneficial at all, considering how far removed it is from what a cat is supposed to eat.

This may be a whole different subject, but one thing that confuses the life out of me is suppliments. Commercial cat food contains some suppliments to replace those lost in the cooking process. I believe Taurine can be easily destroyed with heat, so of course, manufacturers have to add extra in order for the food to have everything a cat needs.

Taurine is a nice and simple example, as I don't believe you can "overdose" a cat on this? Vitamin A is a different matter - the levels have to be correct as too much or too little will cause a cat harm over time. This is where it gets confusing (for me, anyway ) ...for a food without meat, how many suppliments would a manufacturer have to include to make it a safe and complete food? How intricate would they have to be? Would such a large amount of suppliments even work as intended in a cat's body?

I'm quite ignorant on the many intricacies of supplimentation, but I believe them to only be just that - something to suppliment a diet if needed, not to be used as a replacement. To me, feeding an animal (and ourselves) foods that it is perfectly designed to use and extract nutrients out of is miles and miles better.

__________________

Thank you for all your thoughts.

I'm not a black and white person and I like to hear other people's views as to why they do what they do. I also believe there is no 'right' or 'wrong' when it comes to unique be it a person or an animal, all are created to be different.

I would not go as far as saying 'it is cruel' without consideration to the person who has made the choice to feed their pet the way they do, for what ever reason and we may not agree with them, does not make our way right, their way wrong. As each of us are passionate about our beliefs no matter how crazy they might sound, we are all on a journey, going through the process.

If you go back to my introduction to this thread, you shall see I made mention I do feed my cats meat and it was maybe the inquisitiveness of my feline curious led me to ask an 'open ended' question as to what people's views are. I had hoped it would be a discussion. And I' not quite sure how I was seen to 'force my views on another' since I eat meat myself?

There is a world out there so to speak and perhaps it can be a good thing to be exposed from outside our bubble or 'comfort zone' so we can engage with others, yes they may be different to us, however in the difference, we might actually learn something about ourselves, about others, not such a bad thing is it?

As I said, appreciate all the 'thoughts' and if there are any vegetarians, vegan pet owners, please I'd love to hear your views, what works for you and your pets, thank you

I believe Hobbs is a vegetarian, I might be wrong though And I also saw that you yourself feed meat.

However I do believe the issue IS black and white with this issue. Cats need to eat meat. Cats cannot decide not to eat meat for health or ethical reasons, and humans should not make the choice for them. Not feeding cats meat is wrong.

If you cannot feed an animal its proper and nature intended diet, then do not get that animal. if you are a vegetarian because you care about animal welfare, then do not feed your cat meat, then you are mistreating your cat. How can you be a fan of animal welfare, then mistreat your own pet...

I am all for people being passionate about their beliefs with regards to vegetarianism. However, animals are not, and they NEED meat to survive. How is it not cruel to deliberately deprive your cat the food it needs because of an ethical concern that YOU have?

(You being vegetarians who would feed their cats a veggie diet, not you at anyone in particular)

__________________

My cousin is a very strict Vegan and would not even contemplate not feeding her cat meat as cats need meat to survive, feeding a cat a vegetarian diet is just beyond ridiculous (unless cat has a problem with protein and has to have a meat free diet but I believe that this is extremely rare and would have to be under strict veterinarian care)

If you do not believe in feeding your cat or dog a meat rich diet then you should not have them as pets as in my mind it borders on cruelty.

Personally I'm not vegetarian, but I don't eat much meat. For example I will always pick quorn burgers over beef, quorn sausages over real ones. In cooking things like paella I substitute real chicken for fake, but for something like a jerk butterflied chicken breast on spicy rice or a chunky slowroasted beef chilli.. there's just no substitution, I'll use real meat there but make sure it's from 'happy farms' like free range, freedom food endorsed. etc. Same with eggs/milk.

That's just one of the advantages of being an omnivore. Our pets however are not too far away from killing machines, killer carnivore cats, and their body can only really cope and fully benefit from consuming other animals. That's just how it is. If somebody sells a free range organic cat food that ticks all the boxes (moisture, protein, carbs, taurine, variety) then sure I will buy that, but if it happens to be made from battery farmed chickens.. then so be it. My pets health will be chosen ahead of other animals unfortunately.


Edit - apologies for assuming you fed your cats veggie (:

I am currently a non meat eater (I eat fish) but in the past have been vegan & vegetarian. I have always fed my cats a meat diet becuse that's what is best for them - my beliefs don't come in to it really.

If I had a problem buying or handling meat them I wouldn't have chosen a meat eating animal as a pet.

Thank you Cleo and fade away, appreciate you guys input. Yes we in our choice of 'meat' for our cats, will opt for organic mainly and we source from a local farm, also I've opted to make my own cat food with pre mix so I know the meat in there is not compromised and meat by products.

I found an interesting link below and am ploughing my way through it. Am keen to learn about where other people are coming from and it doesn't mean because I don't know where I stand. I am in agreement for cats, they need to eat meat because of the way their digestion is designed. I'm not so sure with dogs and looking into this. I notice with organic food, dog food seems to have grains, vegetables and even fruit.

I have one cat who can't take a lot of protein and at present, we are looking into options as we aren't biscuit lovers, so no kibble will do, I mixed a bit of the Benevo in with their meat today, the product itself smells a little like baby food. If you look at ingredients of the product, is what can be found in dry form cat kibble like rice, cranberry, potato, as well as the meat part, so it is interesting that it's not so much what's in the product more it lacks what has been aired in this thread, 'meat'.

Well thanks for letting me be 'inquisitive' and think aloud

Vegetarian Cats